Inflammation and degeneration can cause dysfunction in any area of the body, and low back pain is a very common occurrence, especially in the L5 and S1 vertebrae area. It’s no surprise that lower back pain is so common as the lumbar region handles high stress and heavy loads when you’re walking, running, lifting, carrying, or doing just about anything. These days with the increased amounts of sitting that we do, can exacerbate it greatly!
Five lumbar vertebrae make up your lower back at the bottom of your spine (L1 to L5). The main function is as support and movement for not only your lower body, but your upper body as well. Ligaments, muscles and tendons are the ‘soft tissues’ that help everything move properly and stay in place.
Some of the causes of lower back pain are disc conditions: a bulging disk happens when the cushioning between your vertebrae gets compressed and this can cause extreme pain. Pinched nerves are the result of herniated disks and again can be a very painful condition. But often the weakened muscles result allows a strain or tear resulting in the lower back pain.
Back Stretch Exercise
A good (and easy) exercise to do, is to lay flat on the floor, bring one knee up and hug tightly to chest, repeat the other side and then do both legs at the same time. While hugging legs you can gently rock the low back area side to side to give a gentle massage. I have other exercise tips if you want them… just ask me.
The top 4 acute remedies for pain as always:
Arnica – Bruised and sore sensation, trauma, injury, inflammation.
Rhus tox – restlessness, stiffness, rigidity, over-lifting injuries, worse first movement & better for limbering up.
Bryonia – worse from slightest motion or movement, injury, trauma, sprains, fractures.
Calc Fluor – chronic conditions, stiffness & calcium deposits, worse beginning motion.
* Chelidonium and Nux Vomica have an affinity for L5 vertebrae